Starter
Watch this short video that perhaps offers a better way to understand "The Absurd"
"The Pale Blue Dot" narrated by Astronomer and astrophysicist, Carl Sagan

Then, for the next 10 minutes, journal on the following:

• How does this video help explain the concept of the Absurd?
• What is your impression of "The Absurd"?  What is your impression of Camus's recommendation for responding to the absurd? 
• What is your impression of Existentialism more generally? Do you agree with some aspects of the philosophy? Do you reject some aspects of the philosophy? Which ones? Why? 

CLASS BIZ
Homework for the week

AGENDA
1. Discuss the starter and a few key points:

• What is the difference between existentialism and the Absurd?
• Again, you don't have to love this philosophy-- perhaps you take bits and pieces-- that's how we form our own philosophies on life, bits and pieces of others as it helps us become less single-minded, less dogmatic, in our own beliefs.

2. Continue the  Existentialism Powerpoint presentation 
3. Discuss The Stranger (see below)
4. Part 1 of Honors Cat's Cradle Seminar (beginning at 9:45)
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The Stranger Discussion Questions
Food for thought: What is the significance of the title? Who is "the stranger" and in what ways are they estranged? How does Mersault's indifference relate to the Absurd?

1. FIRST:  What questions did you come up with in your groups yesterday?
2. Plot summary up to Part 2? 
3. Do you like Meursault? What is your opinion of him? How would you describe his personality? (Page 19: As I was waking up, it came to me why my boss had seemed annoyed when I asked him for two days off: Today is Saturday......But in the first place, it isn't my fault."  What element of existentialism does M's attitude contradict?); Read pages 22-24: Does Meursault take an active role in his own life? Why not?  
4. Read page 11 and page 18: Is Mersault's response to his mother's death simply indifference or it is something else?  Why might M not want to face the reality of his mother's death?  How does this compare with the way  Salamano reacts to/treats his old dog?
5. Camus says that WWI was supposed to be the war to end all wars, but then we had WWII so nothing really changed.  This is the cold indifference of the universe that he and other existentialists were picking up on. Why sacrifice all those lives in WWI if nothing really changed? 
6. CH. 3 deals a lot with the concept of morality and raises the question: Is there a universal sense of right/wrong?  And how do we respond in the face of apparent injustices? Existentialists rejected the idea of a universal code of ethics but did place responsibility on individuals to decide right and wrong for themselves and to act according to the person they want to be.  What are TWO examples in chapter three that pertain to this tenet of Existentialism? Does Meursault seem moral/immoral/amoral?  
7. Why would chapter 3 end with Salamano's dog whimper?
8. Read aloud pages 40-41: What is your analysis of Meursault's indifference? Why do you think he acts this way?  In his indifference, which tenet of Existentialism does his attitude contradict?
9. On page 39 Salamano cries about his dead dog and Mersault thinks of Maman.  Why? Is this a change in his character? Why or why not?
10. Page 45: "No cure for old age" mirrors a line earlier on "There's no way out"-- In a way Camus is setting the stage for Mersault (and the reader) to recognize the absurd in the inevitability of death....urging us not to hide from it or deny the reality of death.​

STARTER: Review Existentialism
Write a definition in your own words of the following terms:

• Existentialism
• Existential Crisis
• The Absurd
• Absurd Hero

​Class Biz

• Missing DP Updates! You have until Tuesday of next week (BEGINNING OF CLASS) to email me your link for up to 80% credit on the assignment
• Check the hmwrk/calendar page for the reading schedule for The Stranger

Finish the film, Stranger than Fiction
Take notes on existential themes that we've covered so far that you see in this movie.  Try to capture quotes that might fit with those themes.  (*Note the terms on the board) 
Terms/ideas to consider:

• Restlessness and discontent as necessity for progress (Thomas Edison quote)
• Meaninglessness
• Existential crisis
• The absurd
• Absurd hero

DISCUSS the film
Questions to consider:

• Is Harold Crick an absurd hero?
• What does Ms. Eiffel represent?  How might Harold becoming aware of her voice relate to existentialism?
• How does Harold’s angst impact his perspective on his own life?
• What or who might Dustin Hoffman represent? (think about his advice to Harold about pancakes AND to accept his death...)
• What do you think Harold's watch represents or means?
  
• What might this film be saying about living an authentic life?​

DISCUSS Chapters 1 and 2 of The Stranger

• Food for thought: What is the significance of the title? Who is "the stranger" and in what ways are they estranged? How does Mersault's indifference relate to the Absurd?
• Do you like Meursault? What is your opinion of him?
• Pages 9-10: Are we defined by others' perceptions of us? Is our existence determined by others recognizing, observing and labeling us? Relationship to Social Media? Relationship to the concept of alienation?"
• Read page 11 and page 18: Is Mersault's response to his mother's death simply indifference or it is something else?  Why might M not want to face the reality of his mother's death?
• Page 19: As I was waking up, it came to me why my boss had seemed annoyed when I asked him for two days off: Today is Saturday......But in the first place, it isn't my fault."  What element of existentialism does M's attitude contradict?
• Read pages 22-24: Does Meursault take an active role in his own life? Why not?  
• Camus says that WWI was supposed to be the war to end all wars, but then we had WWII so nothing really changed.  This is the cold indifference of the universe that he and other existentialists were picking up on. Why sacrifice all those lives in WWI if nothing really changed? 

Starter:  Overall, what was your impression of the homework reading, "The Meaning of Life"?

AGENDA
“The Meaning of Life” Jigsaw

1. Five Groups (one for each section of the reading 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5)
2. First share out your quote from the homework assignment and why you chose it!
3. Then discuss the following as each group will present the following for their section to the rest of the class:
   1. Summarize the main points of your section. Include explanations of any key terms that arise in your section.
   2. Find a quote that stands out and seems to exemplify the “thesis” or big insight of that section.
   3. Write a philosophical question for your section that a person searching for the meaning of life might seek to answer for themselves. (Write this question on the board for your section.)

Intro to Existentialism Powerpoint 

Ashley's introduction to our next book: The Stranger, by Albert Camus

• Check out a book
• Plot overview and context to the book
• Read aloud the first few pages and discuss the main character's personality
• Go over the timeline for reading ​

Timeline for reading The Stranger

• By Thursday, 1/26: Read Chs. 1 and 2 (22 pages)
• By Friday, 1/27:  Read Chs. 3, 4, 5 (22 pages)
• By Monday, 1/30  Read Chs. 6 and in Part II, chs. 1 and 2 (32 pages)
• By Wednesday, 2/1:  Read Part II, chs 3 and 4 (26 pages)
• By Thursday 2/2: Finish the book! (15 pages)

Begin watching Stranger than Fiction 

• We need to begin this by 9:30     !

​Read on and let me know if you're interested!
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This is an email to me from Ty CHurchwell, who runs Trout Unlimited in town:

"As you know, I’m leading a community effort to fix the mines up near Silverton and get our beloved Animas to where she deserves to be – healthy!  TU’s coalition, the San Juan Clean Water coalition, is playing a lead role in the Superfund process and now represents about 125 Durango businesses and thousands of individuals.  In an effort to better inform our residents on the effort, I thought it would be fun and productive to utilize the parade as a way to hand out swag to people on the streets. Here’s what I’m thinking….  I’ve got boxes and boxes of campaign brochures (a simple rack card – PDF version attached so you can see it) and bumper stickers (see photo below).  I’d love to give a big pile of each to these students and let them hand them out to anyone and everyone who’ll take one.  There is no reason for the youngsters to be up-to-speed on our work, nor do they need to know details or answer questions.  All we’re trying to do is get people to the campaign website for information.  I can see these kids walking up and down Main street BEFORE the parade handing out swag.  I did the exact same thing at Riverdays this past summer – I handed out thousands of bumper stickers in 15 minutes.  People always want bumper stickers and they’ll take darn near anything you attempt to hand them.  In other words, this won’t take long and the kids will be off-duty very quickly.  Once their pile of swag is gone, they’re free to go ahead with their Snowdown mayhem.  I’d meet up with them before the parade, give them their swag supply and let them loose.  They’ll be done before the parade even begins, I’m sure.  They could also, or alternatively, bust into the parade and walk down the street with the parade handing these things out to spectators.  Other than that, they’ll be on the sidewalks. 
 
In exchange for their help, depending on how many assist, I’ll buy these guys a gift certificate for Fired Up or Home Slice for pizzas for the group.   

STARTER: The Happy vs. Meaningful Life: Stanford Research Reveals...

1. READ "The meaningful life is a road worth traveling"
2. Then answer these questions:

• Briefly summarize 3 different ways the researcher distinguishes between happiness and meaning
• Overall, how would the researcher, Jennifer Aaker, define happiness? How would she define meaning?

AGENDA
1. Discuss starter responses 

• According to her definition of these two concepts, which do you think is more important? Why? 
• Do you agree with Aaker's classifications of happiness and meaning? In other words, are they as separate as Aaker makes them out to be?  Can they exist without each other?  Which do you feel is more dominant in guiding your choices and thoughts in your current phase of life?  Explain your thoughts thoroughly and give examples.  

2. Watch and respond to TED TALK: Why the Universe Exists
In your starter google doc, journal on the following three prompts:

• What different explanations does Holt mention that humans use to explain why the universe exists?
• Which explanation does he arrive at?               
• Which pieces of his discussion do you agree with?  Which do you reject?  What do you personally believe about the universe and its existence?  If you don't really know yet (as many don't), use this writing to wonder in words...           

3. In class reading: Chapter 28: “The Meaning of Life” Richard Taylor
​
Homework: Choose a quote from the reading (“The Meaning of Life”) that struck a chord with you personally.  Explain what the quote means to you and how it might relate to your developing philosophy about the meaning of life. Write this down in your STARTER GOOGLE DOC!

Starter 8: Watch Alan Watts' "What do you desire?" and journal on the following questions:

• What is the purpose of your existence?
• What gives your life meaning?
• How do you define happiness?

Class Biz

• Mock Trial photos-- thanks to Dylan King
• DP Update deadline: Tomorrow. Email me the link when it is complete!
• This week's homework/calendar page is updated!  Check it out!

AGENDA
Overview of Project #3: Your Life on Earth project description

• Introductory power point: Short film, Journal Prompt, Ashley's forays with post-college angst

The Happy vs. Meaningful Life: Stanford Research Reveals...

1. READ "The meaningful life is a road worth traveling"
2. In PAIRS, discuss:

• Briefly summarize 3 different ways the researcher distinguishes between happiness and meaning
• Overall, how would the researcher, Jennifer Aaker, define happiness? How would she define meaning?
• According to her definition of these two concepts, which do you think is more important? Why? 
• Do you agree with Aaker's classifications of happiness and meaning? In other words, are they as separate as Aaker makes them out to be?  Can they exist without each other?  Which do you feel is more dominant in guiding your choices and thoughts in your current phase of life?  Explain your thoughts thoroughly and give examples.  

Work Time:

• DP Updates + Reflection (due tomorrow)
• Judges' Ruling and Decision (due end of class)
• Honors Seminar